Chapter 353: Chapter 353

Zhang Lu really hadn't expected someone to walk out of the forbidden land alive. After all these years, she had never heard of anyone who had managed to leave the forbidden land.

But Ding Fan was truly formidable, not only had he walked out of the forbidden land, but he had also found Mary's grandfather's remains.

Now, Zhang Lu really regretted making the bet with Mary. Mary was quite eccentric by nature. If she really had to kneel and kowtow, she would have lost all her dignity.

If she had known Mary knew such an impressive person, why would she have provoked them?

After boarding the plane, Zhang Lu, worried that Mary would remember the kowtowing bet, discreetly hid herself in a corner. She was uncharacteristically quiet.

Mary, of course, didn't overlook Zhang Lu's worries about their recent bet.

Actually, although Mary was quite straightforward in her ways, she was reasonable in her actions and wouldn't really make Zhang Lu kowtow to her.

Although Mary looked down on Zhang Lu, humiliating her is almost like humiliating her own father, which would be a foolish thing to do. Naturally, Mary would not do that.

However, Mary also didn't mention the bet. Although she no longer expected Zhang Lu to kowtow, scaring her a bit still seemed necessary.

After the helicopter took off, they followed Ding Fan's request to find a nearby hospital and settled Lady Fang there.

Though Lady Fang's back wound had been treated with Ding Fan's herbs, the wound was too deep, and she still needed hospitalization for some time.

As Lady Fang and Ding Fan parted, thinking she might not see Ding Fan again, she felt a wave of sadness. Without Ding Fan's rescue, ten Lady Fangs would have died in the forbidden land.

When they had entered the forbidden land, there were at least dozens of people, yet only five made it out in the end. Without Ding Fan, Lady Fang certainly wouldn't have been one of them.

Lady Fang had wanted Ding Fan's contact information, but he had simply said, "Till fate brings us together again."

It wasn't that Ding Fan didn't want to give Lady Fang his contact details. His whereabouts were so unpredictable currently and his phone was mostly unreachable; even if he had given her his details, it would be hard for her to find him.

During their parting, Ding Fan wanted to share the Gold Coins and Crystal Stone he had got from the palace evenly with Lady Fang.

However, Lady Fang firmly refused. After some persuasion, she symbolically accepted one Crystal Stone. Ding Fan knew insisting on giving them to Lady Fang would probably make her uncomfortable.

The two parted hurriedly. Although Lady Fang seemed to have much to say, her final words were simply, "Take care."

After the plane took off again, Mary couldn't help but mock Ding Fan a bit.

He had captured yet another beauty's heart.

Ding Fan didn't engage much with Mary on this topic. Who knew where a conversation with this "little fairy" could lead?

The plane headed straight for Yanjing.

The journey was relatively smooth, and nothing untoward happened. After entering Yanjing, Mary's plane landed at a military airport.

Yanjing, the capital of Huaxia Empire. The fact that they managed to get the plane's passage cleared showed Ma Xiaochuan, Mary's father, had considerable influence.

After the plane landed, the group disembarked.

Ma Xiaochuan had come to meet them from a distance, Mary having already informed him about Ding Fan recovering his grandfather's remains.

"Young Master Ding, from now on, you are a benefactor of the Ma Family. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to me!" Ma Xiaochuan declared, pounding his chest.

Ma Xiaochuan, the president of the Central Bank of Huaxia Country, essentially had all the banks in Huaxia listening to him. Thıs content belongs to 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝕟𝕖𝕥

People who Ma Xiaochuan promised help to weren't many. A promise from someone of his stature was nearly worth its weight in gold.

"Uncle Ma, you are too kind," Ding Fan said with a relaxed smile.

This address of 'Uncle Ma' by Ding Fan cleverly drew their relationship closer.

At this moment, Ma Xiaochuan felt even more admiration towards Ding Fan.

It didn't take long before they had moved the ice in which the grandfather was encased down from the plane. When Ma Xiaochuan saw his father's face within the ice,

he knelt down on the spot.

The visage of his father was lifelike, almost as if he were still alive.

"My unfilial piety, it is only today that I have brought my father back from the harsh land of the forbidden area," Ma Xiaochuan said, tears streaming down his face.

As Ma Xiaochuan knelt, Mary and Zhang Lu by his side also knelt down.

After a time of mourning, Ma Xiaochuan then arranged for the ice encasing his father to be taken back to the ancestral home.

Large families believe in the studies of feng shui and yin and yang. An ancestor not properly buried can have great implications for the family and descendants, which was one of the reasons Ma Xiaochuan was so committed to retrieving his father's remains.

Once everything was arranged, Ma Xiaochuan, pulling Ding Fan along, entered a nearby small RV, with Mary tagging along as well.

The RV was quite luxurious, stepping inside felt like entering a small lounge.

"Young Master Ding, here is fifty million, and this is the ore as per our previous agreement," Ma Xiaochuan presented a bank card and a piece of ore to Ding Fan.

"I know this little thing is not enough to thank you for the great kindness of risking the forbidden land to bring back my father's remains, but from now on, any matter concerning young master Ding is my business!" Ma Xiaochuan said resolutely.

Ma Xiaochuan spoke with serious intent.

Over the years, many have entered the forbidden land and never returned. The place was truly a dragon's den and a tiger's lair. To use fifty million to retrieve his father's remains was practically a steal.

"Uncle Ma is being too formal; this is already enough," Ding Fan said indifferently.

Ding Fan's journey to the forbidden land this time had indeed been very rewarding.

He not only obtained the Sky-changing Pearl but also acquired five hundred Crystal Stones. Moreover, he gained the Spirit Beast Transformation Palm. As for bringing back Ma Xiaochuan's father, that was merely an incidental matter.

"This ore, take a look, it was originally brought back by my father from an expedition," Ma Xiaochuan pointed to the ore and said.

Ding Fan picked up the ore and examined it carefully.

He had seen a photo of this ore before. Based on the photo and what Mary had said, Ding Fan had determined that this ore was the Sky-changing Stone.

Now, holding the ore in his hands, Ding Fan was even more certain without a doubt that this ore was indeed the Sky-changing Stone.

The so-called Sky-changing Stone was an essential material for upgrading storage rings. The term 'sky-changing' meant to divide heaven and earth, transforming the void into the heavens.

Even in the Cultivation World, such a stone was extremely scarce; even some powerful beings did not possess the Sky-changing Stone. There had even been a case where a Cultivator at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage wanted to trade ten Grade Eight Spirit Grasses for this stone, which showed just how precious this stone was.

Ding Fan had never dreamed that, in the Cultivation World, such a treasure would be found on Earth.

Once he obtained the Floating Earth Stone, he would be able to upgrade the storage ring.

After securing these items, Ma Xiaochuan wanted to host a banquet to properly treat Ding Fan, but Ding Fan politely declined.

Regadless, although Ma Xiaochuan had shown sufficient sincerity, he had spent too much time in the officialdom, and his speech and actions, no matter how restrained, inevitably carried an air of bureaucracy.

Thus, dining with such a person, Ding Fan would still feel uncomfortable. Even going back and eating skewers with Mu Zi would be better than dining with Ma Xiaochuan at Big Restaurant.

Ding Fan insisted on not going, and Ma Xiaochuan could not say much, so he immediately sent Ding Fan back to the military area.

Ding Fan did not delay and went straight back to the guest house.

As soon as Ding Fan returned to the guest house, he saw Xian Shui running downstairs in panic.

Xian Shui didn't notice Ding Fan while descending, so she ran directly into his arms.

"Brother Fan... I am so glad you're back, you're back and Sister Ningbing can be saved!" Xian Shui looked up and saw Ding Fan, her face bursting with joy as she spoke.

Ding Fan's brows slightly furrowed.

Ningbing? Ye Ningbing? Ding Fan had a bad feeling that something unpleasant had happened.

"What happened, Xian Shui?" he asked.

"Brother Fan, no time to explain, you need to go see her now. Sister Ningbing is about to die, she is about to die!" As Xian Shui spoke, tears began streaming down her face.

Xian Shui, naturally kind-hearted, now had her pretty eyes tearfully red.

Ding Fan's brows tightened even further. The more Xian Shui panicked, the more anxious he became.

"Let's go and see," he said.

Immediately, Ding Fan and Xian Shui went to Ye Ningbing's room. Approaching the door, Ding Fan saw many people gathered around.

These people were military doctors.

Ding Fan immediately squeezed through the crowd.

When Ding Fan entered the room and saw Ye Ningbing on the bed, his heart involuntarily clenched.

Ye Ningbing's petite face was extremely pale. Her lovely thin lips had no hint of color, and her eyes stared straight at the ceiling, brimming with tears, ready to fall at any moment.

The sight of Ye Ningbing's gaunt appearance made Ding Fan's heart ache.

"Brother Fan... I'm so glad you're back!" Mu Zi came over from the side.

Ding Fan nodded to Mu Zi, then walked straight to Ye Ningbing's bedside.

Ye Ningbing's breath was extremely weak; saying it was like a hanging thread was not an exaggeration. Upon inspecting with his Divine Sense, Ding Fan was shocked to find that Ye Ningbing's body harbored a massive amount of poison.

What was critical was that the poison had already invaded her heart's vessels.

Once the poison reached the heart vessels, not even a god could save her!

Looking at the emaciated Ye Ningbing, Ding Fan was truly angered!